The present invention relates generally to a technique of providing advertisements, and more particularly to a technique of providing advertisements in traffic channels.
In some metropolitan areas and countries, systems have been implemented that broadcast data messages that contain up-to-the-minute reports of traffic and road condition information. These systems broadcast the data messages on a continuous, periodic, or frequently occurring basis. Receivers decode the data messages and provide the up-to-the-minute reports of traffic and road information.
The traffic data message broadcast systems have several advantages over radio stations simply broadcasting audio traffic reports. For example, with the traffic data message broadcasting systems, a driver can obtain the traffic information quickly. The driver does not have to wait until the radio station broadcasts a traffic report. Another advantage of the traffic data message broadcast systems is that the driver does not have to listen to descriptions of traffic conditions for areas remote from his or her location. Another advantage of traffic data message broadcast systems is that more detailed and possibly more up-to-date information can be provided. In these types of systems, the data messages conform to one or more pre-established specifications or formats. The in-vehicle receivers decode the traffic data messages using the pre-established specifications or formats.
One system for broadcasting traffic and road condition information is the Radio Data System-Traffic Message Channel (“RDS-TMC”) (or RBDS in North America). The RDS-TMC system is used in North America and some European countries. RDS-TMC messages are broadcast regularly or at varying intervals. Another traffic system named Vehicle Information and Communication System (“VICS”) Center is also used in Japan.
Using these various traffic systems, it may be helpful to provide other information that may or may not be related to traffic information. But the integration of these other information is complicated by the existing protocols of the ALERT-C message and the bandwidth limitation of the RDS-TMC. The current traffic systems, thus, can be improved to efficiently and effectively provide other information using the traffic message channel systems.